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7 Evening Rituals To Have A Stress-Free Night, Every Night

Dan Harrison
Author:
November 25, 2015
Dan Harrison
Written by
Photo by iStock Photo
November 25, 2015

By now, most people understand the importance of a morning ritual. But the truth is, your morning starts the night before. The way you end one day will determine the way you start the next. Use these seven tips to prime your body and mind for a stress-free, relaxing night tonight.

1. Practice meditation and visualization.

Set aside at least five minutes for yoga or meditation each night. Find a dimly-lit, quiet space in your home and get comfortable. Fill your lungs with as much air as possible and breathe out slowly. Envision that you're releasing the day's stress and negative energy with each exhale. Putting on some meditation audio is a great way to eliminate distractions if you find your mind wandering.

Here are some simple ways to create a meditation routine that works for you.

2. Set yourself up to be inspired.

Read a personal development book or watch a motivational video. The goal here is to find something positive, educational and inspirational that you can use to build momentum for the day ahead.

These five inspirational books are a great place to start.

3. Prepare your food for the next day.

On-the-go eating can be hard work if you're not prepared. Prepare your food at night so you don't have to rush around the next morning and run the risk of slipping up on your nutrition goals. By making your meal prep a priority each evening, you'll be investing in a steady supply of quality foods that aid in weight loss and performance every day.

Follow this recipe guide to make healthy meals that will last you all week (for under $35!)

4. Review your goals.

Every Sunday night, take the time to write out your goals for the week ahead. They don't have to be tedious or in-depth — just a few bullet points is fine. Then, every night during the week, take five minutes to review your goals and think about tasks that you want to achieve in the day ahead. I recommend doing this to lighthearted music that puts you in a positive mental space.

The way you end one day will determine the way you start the next.

5. Ask yourself questions.

As you're looking over your list of goals, keep these questions in mind:

What progress did I achieve towards my goals today?

What improvements can I make for tomorrow?

What are three things I'm grateful for today?

In five years, will I remember what I did today?

6. Create a bedroom sanctuary.

We spend around a third of our lives in a bedroom — that’s a long time to be anywhere. Whether you realize it or not, the environment in your room has a huge impact on your health and longevity. Your body needs to recognize that your bedroom is a space for sleeping. You want it to be free of distracting technologies — try switching your WI-Fi off one hour before you head to bed. Ensure your bedroom is as dark as possible by using thick curtains and minimizing harsh lights or screen displays.

Put these 10 tips to use in your space and create a blissed-out bedroom.

7. Sleep!

It should come as no surprise that sleep is the most important part of everyone's evening routine. In order to be in a peak state, you need to have an appropriate amount of sleep — somewhere between seven and nine hours a night. Sleep has incredible restorative functions, and lack of rest leaves your mind murky. Sleep can also help with your weight loss and fitness goals: It increases testosterone and growth hormone levels, which are important for anyone trying to gain muscle and lose fat.

Here are some foolproof ways to fit in some more zzz's tonight.

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